Stuck On You
by LochNessa250997
Summary: BOOK TWO IN 'PARACHUTE' SERIES Austin and Ally find themselves in a game of cat and mouse. Being chased by a crazy person can be tiring but finding unexpected allies? That is damn right exhausting. Now they have to help someone close to them as well as avoiding a crazy ex and not being found out under their disguises. Who knew loving someone could be so hard...
1. The panic note

**Halloo again my loves! I know the new story up at the same time as the old one finished? I am just on fire tonight.**

 **To be honest though I just really wanted to get this story on the road so i could continue their love story and the adorableness that is Auslly.**

 **Going to be honest this story is about to take a turn into the action genre as i love writing excitement. This is no longer a simple teen story.**

 **Lots of love and welcome to 'Stuck on you'**

Chapter: 1 The panic note

"I think about you every morning when I open my eyes. I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights. I think about you every moment... uh… everyday of my life? Yes!" I scribbled down the start of the chorus of our new chorus and I couldn't help but bubble with pride. The lyrics were just coming to me so much easier these days and the excitement of singing them with Austin made it that much more exciting to me. This song was the one we were going to singing on the Ellen show next month as we had let it slip that we had decided to write a new song for it I had to make sure it was a good one. Honestly it was shaping up to my most heartfelt song ever.

"Ally you got mail today, might be a fan letter." Austin came in, dressed in only jogging bottoms, and winked at me as he handed me the sealed envelope.

"Haha hilarious, you know we don't give fans our address," I opened the envelope and looked inside to see a folded up letter inside. Maybe it was from Trish telling me about her latest project with the fashion world. I eagerly tore the letter our and unraveled it, eager to devour the words until I realized there was only four of them printed on the page in cursive calligraphy; 'Leave him or else." My stomach dropped and Austin looked concerned. I dropped the letter and looked out of the window, desperate to see who the sender was, even though I knew the couldn't have been their now.

Austin picked up the note and read it and gave an uneasy chuckle, "looks like my fans are getting more imaginative recently, huh?" he stretched his arm to the back of his head in the way he did when he felt awkward or uneasy. I looked at him and I could see my deer-in-headlights looks reflected in his chocolate eyes. "Ally don't worry it's just someone's idea of a practical joke. Fans get crazy, they are just being stupid, stop worrying." He kissed my head and I did feel better.

He was right, we had received empty threats before by crazy fans or people that were convinced we loved them and not each other, Austin had received a fair few himself. Putting it down to another meaningless, empty threat I got back to writing the song, with Austin's help.

However for the rest of the day I couldn't shake the dread that felt deep in my stomach and I knew it was because of that stupid note. Something about it seemed a little less crazy than the ones we usually receive, this one almost seemed to calm, like the person really knew what they would do. The threat didn't feel empty at all, in fact the threat felt very real.

* * *

I was on edge for the next few days, checking the windows constantly for peeping Tom's and always looking through the mail before Austin, making sure there no other letters with the cursive writing on the outside of it. Austin notices my discomfort and promised to keep an eye on everything, even offering to get extra protection for me which I denied, I didn't need to be someone else's burden.

"Ally, I am worried about you baby, you never reacted this badly to a stupid fan before. They are just trying to get a rise out of you." He kissed my shoulder and I stared out of the window, watching the birds in the garden and wishing I could feel as free as them.

"I am just scared Austin, this one didn't seem like it came from a 16 year old with a crush on a popstar, this one felt…real." I muttered and rubbed my hand on my neck, a trait I only did when I was scared.

"Well it isn't, they won't be able to hurt you Ally… you have three body guards and a very buff and protective boyfriend. Don't let it get to you please." He kissed my neck and wrapped his arms around me, swaying us from side to side.

I smiled and nodded, finally letting him persuade me I was in no danger from his crazy fans. He grabbed my hand and led me to our bedroom, promising to make me forget all about crazy fans and creepy post.

* * *

I wake up to an empty bed for the fifth day in a row, Austin was away on business and he was going to be gone for another two days. I got up and went through my morning routine almost in autopilot and then went to get the post, flicking through letter after letter of TV proposals and concert date releases. Suddenly my fingers paused on an envelope with a very familiar cursive penmanship on it and my hands shook with fear. I felt my stomach drop as I ripped the envelope open, discovering a small piece of paper tucked in the corner.

With trembling fingers I unfolded the piece of paper and looked at the words on the page, taking a minute before the words sunk in:

 _I mean it bitch, leave or I'll make you disappear._

I threw the paper to the floor and pressed the alarm on the wall to call for the security guards, Tony and Adam came rushing in within seconds to see what was wrong. I pointed to the paper and Tony reached for it, reading it before handing it to Adam. "Miss Dawson, are you okay?" He asked me softly.

"Call Austin." I whispered.

"Ma'am…" Adam butted in, looking as if he was going to protest.

"Call him!" I screamed and then fell to floor crying, I was so shaken and I didn't mean to take it out on the two men but I had to speak to Austin, to warn him.

Tony came over to console me whilst Adam got his phone and dialled Austin's number, looking concerned at me. "Ah yes hello sir, no need for alarm but Miss Dawson received another note. Uh yes sir this one was quite…um… pointed. It said…uh…" he looked at me for permission to read it, I nodded. "It said, 'I mean it bitch, leave or I'll make you disappear.' Understood sir." He hung up and I looked at him expectantly.

"Mr Moon will be coming home immediately, he is already on his way to the airport." I felt relief wash over me and I made the men promise to stay with me until Austin got home.

* * *

I was curled up in my bed when I heard the door creek. I shot up, ready to reach for the gun I knew Austin kept in his top draw when the light came on and Austin stood in the doorway looking scared and tired. "Oh my baby." He came rushing over to me and held me in his arms as a cried and wiped my tears away. "Ally I am going to sort this, I am adding more security and insist on bodyguards following you when you are out, I have cancelled all of my trips for a while. Until this blows over you're not leaving my sight, okay?" his eyes were alight with passion and worry.

I nodded and laid back down, curling up into the side of the man I loved and feeling safe for the first time in five days.


	2. A promise fulfilled

**Well hello hello again.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you enjoy this next chapter just as much.**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxox**

 **Chapter 2: A promise fulfilled**

A few weeks later everything had seemed to of died off and Austin decided to release the security from my care. I wanted to go into town so decided not to bother Adam and Tony, so instead I left the house and headed out to the below floor garage that Austin and I owned. I wondered towards my car and I had the strangest feeling someone was following me out there. Shaking the feeling off and putting it down to the fact that I had people following me for a few weeks now and carried on walking.

Whilst humming the tune to the song I had finished with Austin over facetime last night I thought about how I should probably get something exciting for his arrival home. He had spent a few days in the Bahamas doing some interviews and TV work whilst I stayed low at home until I decided I couldn't just keep staring at my boyfriend on the screen. Our new album was going to be hitting sales pretty soon and I was excited to see him to celebrate.

The sound of heels on the concrete broke me from my thoughts and I looked around to see a shadow of a woman coming towards me. "How did you get in here?" I asked calmly, I was used to fans finding ways onto our property and by now I was quite good at defusing situations with them. "You know you shouldn't be here." I shouted again but no reply, the girl just kept walking. I sighed and headed towards the girl, ready to get this over with so I could get on with my day. "Okay if you want an autograph that's fine but you need to leave stra…"

I was cut short by the silhouette raising what looked like a baseball bat and I shielded my face as the blow came. In the moments before the bat cracked against my head I saw the face of the one wielding it. A beautiful blond woman stood before me, an evil smile abducting her face. I recognised the girl, I had seen her before in magazines and I felt an ill will towards her.

 _Mollie!_ And with the remembrance of who it was exploding in my mind the pain exploded on my skull and I fell into a complete blackness.

 **Austin's POV**

I felt strange on the limo ride home, it felt like I was coming home to a stranger recently. Ally had been a completely different person since receiving those fan threats; she had never reacted so badly to one before. I glanced out of the window at the scenery around me and was just happy to be back in my home state, on my way to the woman I loved.

Work had been tiresome and boring in the Bahamas, although the weather made up for it. I made a mental note to take Ally there soon because she would really love the beach and the sand, plus she looked really good in a bikini. We could eat on the beach and pose for cameras and have those really cute couple shots that other celebrity couples always had when they were on holiday. We could even do a couple of impromptu concerts at the hotel and work on some summer hits in the heat. It would be perfect.

The car slowed down at some traffic lights only a block away from my home and that's when I saw it, a white Porshe with it's tires slashed and red paint thrown over it. I sighed and thought about how much of a waste of a car that was, Ally loved her Porsche, she'd hate to see this. Suddenly the number plate came into view and all of the heat drained from my body.

 **WFB 128**

 _Shit!_ That was Ally's number plate! I made Frank stop the car and jumped out whilst it was still slowing down, prayers of not finding Ally in the car going through my head. _Please, please God do not take her from me._ I looked in the window and to my relief there was no body in there, maybe someone took the car and Ally has no idea, she might just be at home, curled up on the sofa watching TV in her fluffy pyjamas. She smile as I walk in and as I tell her the news of her beloved car she'll cry and I'll hold her but she'll be there in my arms, warm and safe.

I make Frank speed the rest of the way home and as we head into the lot I notice that the garage door is open, much to my expectations, but then I notice something that is not so expected. The door into the garage is open and that means someone has been in the house. My heart rate exhilarates and I jump out of the car in a panic for the second time in the last five minutes.

Right in front of me lays a body that resembles my beautiful girlfriend but her face is swollen and bruised, her arm twisted in an unusual way. _Holy shit Ally._ I pick her up and feel for a pulse, it's weak but it's there. Wiping tears from my eyes and hold Ally to my body and get right back into the car, demanding to go to the hospital and calling security at the same time. She was in so much trouble for not calling them if she wanted to go out, I told her not to do anything stupid. I looked down at her black eyes and I wondered how the hell she got that way. Who on earth would hurt someone so pure and sweet? She was everything I had left…

* * *

We got to the hospital and I rushed in with her in my arms, yelling for anyone that could help us. Several nurses and a doctor rushed over, asking me what had happened? How long she had been out? Was she breathing? I answered their questions quickly and precisely as I could but all I could worry about was my sweet girl who was now laying, wounded, in a hospital bed. I held her hand and waited for her to come around, the doctors were doing everything they could and her heartbeat was coming through the monitor at a steadier pace now. Soon I felt myself drifting off in the chair next to her bed and the gentle sound of her heartbeat was like a metronome to my tired body. I drifted into sleep with my head on her hand and my arms around her wrist.

I awoke in a shock at the sound of moaning coming from my Ally, was she waking up? I shot up to look over her but there was no flutter of her eyelids like in movies, there was no muttering of my name as she looked at me. I watched her like a hawk but her muttering didn't make any sense to me, so when one word came out in perfect clarity I almost didn't hear it.

But I did and my sweet, poor girl had muttered only one name: Mollie.


	3. She's completely harmless

**Hello there, WOW okay the reception I have received is really kind and thank you for following me into this story world. I know that this book is more fast paste than the last but that was always the plan, this was when the real drama starts happening.**

 **Enjoy this super long chapter**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxo**

 **Chapter 3: She's completely harmless**

 **Austin's POV**

Three days. Three freaking days I have had to sit here and watch my world slip from my grasp. Ally's condition was deteriorating by the day, she looked pale and weak and it killed me to not be able to do anything. All I did, day in and day out, is sit in the fucking uncomfortable chair and stroke her hand. Once or twice I tried to sing to bring her round but not even music could save her this time. The thought of losing Ally was worst than the thought of being homeless, and I had felt the feeling of her loss before.

Doctors started to tell me that I shouldn't hold out too much hope and that Ally's internal damages were extensive, her skull was damaged and they had no way of telling what mental effects that would cause, let alone whether she would even be able to wake up from the medically induced coma that she was put under.

Dez and Trish had rushed over to the hospital the night it happened, Dez brought us both spare clothes and magazines to read, already reading into the situation and it almost broke my heart to see my best friend of three years to hover over his childhood sweetheart. Dez was always so good at holding in emotions but the moment he saw how small and frail Ally looked in that bed he just couldn't bring himself to be strong. He clung to her like a leech to blood. That's what finally broke me as well, seeing the despair in her childhood friend's face made it all too clear. Dez had been therefore her when she had got pneumonia, he had seen her break her arm twice and had two wisdom teeth out. Not even he had ever seen her as bad as this, not even the guy who had seen her pull through a death and a missing person believed that she could pull through it.

Trish, strong and cheerful Trish, had to leave the room the moment she saw Ally because it was too hard for her to bear. It was like seeing her child or her sister in that bed and I knew that too her it was probably as hard as losing her sister all over again. I held her as she cried in my arms and Dez wrapped himself around Ally's slim figure and thought about the irony of the situation, four lives, two entwined with the other, and yet we all found each other. It was like a story and I couldn't stand to think it might have a sad ending.

Ally's dad flew over to see us the moment he heard and he was with us within 12 hours, rushing into the room with his suitcase in tow. As soon as he saw me he pulled me into his arms and let me cry on him for a long time. When there was no more tears to come he gently patted my back and slowly moved over to his daughter, his eyes glassing over with tears.

"Ally-gator, it's papa. I know that you can make it through this Ally, I know that you are strong enough to fight this. I know you want to see mum, and even Elliot, but not yet baby. I am not ready to give you up to them yet." He started crying and held her hand, gripping at her cold skin. I welled up again and excused myself to get a coffee and see if the doctor was around to explain what was wrong with Ally to her father.

Her father nodded and thanked the doctor for his support as he explained that Ally had an inflammation to her head that could possibly be putting pressure on her skull and into they determine whether it will go down they can't let he wake up. She had a fractured rib, a bruised lung and a broken arm. My poor sweet soldier. Soon the doctor went home and I was left in the hospital alone again. Lester wanted to check into a hotel and get settled and I basically begged him to just let me stay here with her. I caressed her hand as I did every night and sung to her before drifting into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

It was two days later that the inflammation to her brain came down enough for the doctors to deem it safe for her to be woken up. They believed that it had just been tissue rather than her actual brain and they believed that her body was fighting off any damage well. They pulled out her IV and inserted a new one, this one only giving nutritional fluids rather than keeping her asleep. I waited all day for her to wake up, watched every flutter of her eyelids and every twitch of her hand until they were becoming more frequent and livelier. I waited with bated breath for her to open her eyes and when that moment finally come it was bliss to my sore heart.

"A-Austin?" she whispered, her voice unable to get above that. She slowly turned her head to me; I could see the pure pain just turning her head caused her.

"I'm here Ally baby, I am always here." I stroke her hand and the tears roll down my face. I press the little button that alerts the nurses. Two nurses and a doctor enter Ally's room almost immediately and they check her vitals, then her responses. The doctor deems Ally completely healthy but insists she stay here for a little while longer just for observations. I basically agreed for her and then slowly fed water through a straw to her, watching her every wince and sharp inhale.

"Oh Ally-cat what have you got yourself into?" I ask he softly and kiss the top of her head, she doesn't realise how much of a relief it was to feel warmth there instead of clammy coldness.

"It was Mollie." She blurted out almost instantly but the words didn't set in for a little while. When they did I almost laughed.

"Ally, baby, I know that Mollie was crazy but she wasn't THAT crazy. She couldn't even harm a fly Ally, she's completely harmless to you." I look at her but she has her resolved face on and I know that meant there was no getting round it.

"Austin, I am telling you it was Mollie, she hit me with a baseball bat and then stole my car, she looked evil Austin." Her body shook in fear and although I didn't believe her I knew that she wasn't making up what she thought she saw. Maybe the girl looked like Mollie, any blond could be confused if seen in a moment of terror. However, I didn't fight with her and concentrated on making her feel better instead.

Day by day Ally got better and day-by-day she got more stubborn in her reclamation of the events. She was positive that it was Mollie that had attacked and not just some crazed fan and I didn't have it in me to fight her. I was just so glad to have her back that I didn't even care who did it, I had my Ally.

* * *

Her father came in the night she woke up and he held her as he told her all of the amazing things he had been up to recently. He bought a chain of music shops and renamed them 'Sonic Boom 2.0' which made Ally laugh. He told her of the lovely woman he met on a dating site and about he had accidently spilt water on her on their first date, but she still agreed to a second. He told her that their sweet old neighbour has recently bought a shitzu and it made too much noise to sleep at night so he invested in earplugs. Her father looked just as relieved as I was that Ally was finally responding to our voices again.

Dez and Trish came in and Dez once again cried in Ally's arms, this time with her shushing him and kissing his head. They were honestly the perfect brother and sister, I couldn't help but wonder whether Dez was Ally's Elliot replacement. I was oddly okay with that.

Trish bought Ally some pretty clothes and did her nails, telling her about all the models she was forced to work with. She told her about how they were all to stuck up to have normal water and how one only ate green fruits. Ally looked so much better already it was incredible what two days and an IV thread could do.

Four days later the doctors came with the news that Ally was finally allowed to go home and I signed her release photos, as her father had to fly back the day before. She held my hand so tightly as we walked out of the building and I could visibly see her body tighten. "It's okay Ally, you're safe now." I squeeze her hand and lead her over to the car, putting her in before I put our bags in the back. I take one last sigh of relief and then get in the car, starting it and driving us home.

 **Ally's POV**

The journey was quiet and relaxed, but I felt anything but relaxed. I was on edge, my body on full alert for another attack from that bitch. I knew Austin didn't really believe me but I didn't care, I knew that it was her that had hit me. The edges of the memory were fuzzy but I knew that face; that long blond hair, anywhere. It was the face of the person that had almost taken my love away from me, almost.

We pulled up in the underground garage and I shuddered at the memories that racked my brain all at once. The feeling of cold concrete underneath me, the feeling of not being able to move or scream, the suffering of pain and trickle of blood running down my face. It had been the single worst experience of my life.

I looked down at the dried puddle of blood that had yet to be hosed down and shuddered at the memory of the paralyse that had been brought over me by my bodies own defence system. Right next to the tire tracks was a small piece of white paper that appeared to maybe be rubbish that Austin had perhaps dropped in his haste to get me safe. I decided to pick It up anyways, just incase it was something important. I unravelled the crumpled paper and I could feel the colour drain from my face.

 ** _I told you so._**

"What's that baby?" Austin came round to my side with the bags and saw the look on my face. I hand him the paper without saying a word and see as his face falls in what must have been the same way mine had fallen. "It was Molly." He muttered under his breath, unfolding the paper one last bit and turning it around to me, revealing one letter in cursive script.

 ** _-M_**

Shivers wracked my body and my skin went into high alert, ready to jump at the slightest noise. Austin quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house in record speed, dead bolting the door and shutting all of the curtains in the entire house. He didn't say a word until he was finished and then he turned to me with wild and scared eyes and muttered only one sentence.

"We need to leave."


	4. No where is safe here

**Hello there lovelies. I know it's been a while but i have been in out of my home town on work business and trying to take with you an external hard rive with stories on is very difficult.**

 **Anyway this chapter is pretty short but it is just a set up chapter. I hope you enjoy it all the same**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxox**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: No where is safe here**

"We need to leave." Austin's face is one of pure resolve but at first I am still reluctant to trust his faith.

"Austin she could easily follow us, why don't we just get the police involved." I beg him, I didn't want to leave my home yet.

"Ally, it isn't safe here." He holds up something and in the dim light of the lamp he turned on I could see it was the photo of our first CD signing, us beaming at the camera. Or rather Austin was, my face was a gauged out mess. Someone had slashed my face out of the photo. I gasped and looked around the room the inspect our pther photos, finding them in much the same state. Austin dropped the photo and rushed to our bedroom, bringing out the canvas that our record label had given up of our first concert photo, a chunk was missing where I used to stand proudly next to Austin.

"I.."I was speechless, how could some be so heartless, so hateful towards another human, especially one that did nothing to her. "I'll start packing, you contact Trish and Dez." I felt numbness flow into my bloodstream and it was like being on the pain meds I was on in hospital, a buzz of nothingness surrounded me. I looked at out trashed room and ignored it, concentrating on getting our suitcases packed and our essentials ready.

"We're going on an impromptu holiday so can you keep an eye on the house for us, tell Jimmy that we will work on stuff for the new album whilst on the road. Thanks Dez, you're a life saver." He looked at me as I walked in carrying the suitcases and his eyes portrayed all of the emotions I couldn't feel; fear, loss, hatred and worry had mixed themselves like a cocktail in my beloved eyes. "I'll take everything to the car, you get changed into something warm, we are heading as far away from this place as we can possibly go without needing passports." He flung his duffel bag over his shoulder and carried one suitcase in each hand. I changed into tracksuit bottoms and an oversized shirt then packed all of our credit cards and passports into my handbag, just in case we needed them at any point. I heard Austin beep the horn to our RV and I took one last look around the place that used to be sanctuary, the place I once called home and then closed the door on the recent pain there.

* * *

I jump into the car and take a look at my boyfriend in the drivers seat, his lips were set in a line of resolve and his hair was a scruffy mess from running his hands through it. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. "I can drive." I offered but he just shook his head and pressed a map into my hand.

"Pick a place and I'll start driving, we need to move now whilst no one is around, we need to get out of here before she strikes again." He sets up the GPS and I pointed to Massachusetts, we had been there on holidays from New York and I knew we would be safe there. Austin nodded and set up the GPS to take us to a hotel there. He peeled out of the garage and onto the open road of late time LA.

* * *

About half an hour later we were leaving the city borders behind, I glanced back at the city lights behind me and once again in my life had to say goodbye to my home. His hand crept its way around mine and gave me a reassuring squeeze. I looked over into the eyes of the man I loved and I knew I would be just fine. We were safe as long as we were together.


	5. Dancing with the devil

**Hello lovelies, here's another chapter. I was listening to Breaking Benjamin whilst writing this hence the title.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

Chapter 5- Dancing with the devil

"Austin what the hell are we going to do now?" I looked around in desperation as Austin touched our deflated tyres. This was the sixth time she had done this and no matter where we went she always seemed to find us.

"We do what we always do: we run." He looked up and me and went to grab the spare tyres from the back of the car, muttering about how she was becoming an expensive stalker.

I sighed, "Why so she can do this again in the next state? We aren't safe Austin we have tried everything, sleeping in the car, wearing these stupid wigs and prosthetics, using fake ID and different names in hotel bookings. She always finds us." I shake from the cold and from the fear. We were currently in a small motel in Monterey and I was loosing my patience with this bitch. It was becoming increasingly hard to enjoy the towns and cities we were in because we had to leave two damn days after arriving in a new place. There was never any time to settle down. At first she had been subtle with her hint, leaving notes and writing her name on our coffee cups but she had taken to more violent signs recently. Like slashing our tyres every time we enter a motel or leaving a dead rodent or worse at the door of our room. She was uncontrollable and scary good at tracking.

"Well what do you want me to do Ally! I can fucking change the situation! Jesus Christ do you think I like this? Do you think I wanted to leave my friends and my career behind!" he yelled at me from across the car and my eyes stung from the tears I had been holding back for weeks. This was the angriest I had heard Austin since we had started this trip.

"And you think I did! It's not my fault that your fucking ex is bat shit crazy Austin! Its not my fault you made stupid mistakes!" I walked round the car and poked my finger at his chest.

"Just get in the fucking car Ally we are leaving." He gritted his teeth and stared right into my eyes, his full of passion and fury.

"No! I am not moving another muscle, there is no fucking point running anymore! I am done dancing with the fucking devil Austin, the bitch always leads!" I scream into his face and he grips my upper arms, clutching them so hard it hurt.

"Ally get in the car or so help me, you are bringing a lot of unwanted attention this way and don't you think we already have enough of that?" he whispered menacingly and I shivered at the look in his eye, but I was not backing down this time.

"No! We need to call the police, we can't do this alone anymore Austin!" I glare at him and he just shakes his head.

"This bitch isn't just a fan Ally! She was crazy before I left her let alone now. She cut another model's face at a Victoria secret fashion show just so she could wear her costume, she once poisoned her best friend just so she wouldn't go to a party and get with her ex. She's fucking pyscho and she can do so much worse than just slash our tyres if we tell. We just have to keep dancing with her baby until she just gets tired." He held me softer now and his eyes were pleading, all traces of anger gone.

I felt my own anger dissipate and I sighed as I looked at the man I loved. "I hate this Austin, I hate fearing for my life every single day, I should have just died in that hospital and kept you safe." I felt the tears spill over.

"Don't say that, don't you dare ever say that. I would run the world to keep you safe Ally, I would sink ships and crash planes if it meant keeping you safe and there is no way we are letting her win yet, we still have a lot of fight left in us." I nodded and walked round to my side of the car, too tired and to emotionally wrecked to argue anymore.

I knew he was right, there was no point getting more people involved, she had slipped from our grip way too many times to think that the police would manage to catch her. I looked out of the window as we pulled away form yet another temporary home and sighed at what our lives had become. We went from being loved and chased by fans to being hunted down and threatened in one short week.

* * *

"Wake up my love," Austin whispers in my ear and I look over to see that we are parked in another motel. I yawn and look around me at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where are we?" I look at my phone to see its 7 at night.

"San Francisco, in the first motel I could find, I am exhausted and I need to go find somewhere to buy new back up tyres. Go get us a room okay?" He kissed my head and then passed me his credit card before climbing out and heading to the gas station across the road. I sighed and got out of the car, locking it and heading into the desserted motel.

The lobby looked nice enough, it wasn't expensive or particular clean, but it was warm and it looked safe enough. The clerk behind the desk must have just been legal to get a job and looked as if he would rather be out partying or eating pizza at home than be here but he gave me a fake happy smile as I walked in and welcomed me to motel Harlow.

"Room for two please." I muttered softly so no one else could here, knowing it was pointless but doing it anyway.

"Name." The boy was tapping on the keyboard and looking at the ancient computer infront of him, sighing as he clicked a suitable room and started to fill in my details.

"Mrs Anya Jackson." I muttered and looked around once again, I don't know why we insisted on keeping up the fake names but it just felt too stupid to give our real ones, even if it did just buy us an extra few hours.

"Welcome Mrs Jackson. This is your room key, number 83, floor 3 third door on the right." I nodded and headed towards the lift, texting Austin the directions to our new temporary home and telling him to only bring one bag in, I didn't think we were going to be staying here for very long.

The lift creaked with only my weight and spluttered to life before trudging up to the next floor where an old lady got on with a corgy. I looked at the fat dog in her arms and sighed at how safe the old women must be, to be able to commit to having a pet.

Finally getting to our room I unlocked the door and gave a quick survey of the room, a bed in the middle of the room and a simple desk with lamp in the corner, a small wardrobe stood in the corner and another door led off to what I presumed was the bathroom. Dumping my handbag on the bed I decided to head into the bathroom fro a well- deserved hot shower and hopefully someplace to brush my teeth.

I was not disappointed as I saw the room had not only a shower, but also a bath as well and a array of bath salts to offer for relaxation. Maybe this wasn't such a bad motel after all. I turned on the hot water and let the bath fill whist I brushed my hair out of its ponytail and looked at myself in the mirror. This Ally was barely recognisable to me, she looked older and tired, she looked like she was carrying the world on her shoulders.

The water soon steamed the mirror and I decided to stop sulking at my appearance, Austin would be here soon and I would need to let him into the room. I let the warm aromatic water take me under and I closed my eyes for what felt like moments.

* * *

Half an hour later I awoke suddenly to the noise of the door to our room creaking open, instantly I sat up in the water knowing that I had the only door pass to the door and no one else could possibly get in. "Austin?" I called but there was no reply. I slowly rose from the water and wrapped a towel around myself, peaking my head around the bathroom door.

At first all I saw was a flash of blonde hair and my heart went into overdrive, the memory of blond hair crushing my skull only two weeks ago. I got ready to attack. Grabbing the first thing that I could get my hands on, I lunged from the bathroom and hit the intruder square on the head.

"Ow! What the hell?" I knew that voice, that was not a woman's voice. Austin turned around to me, rubbing his head and looking thoroughly pissed off. "Ally what on earth are you doing?" he looked over me and I realised I was still only in a towel. I gripped the fabric closer to me and looked at him.

"I thought you were Mollie." I muttered.

"And you were going to kill her with a plunger?" he looked at my weapon and I sighed, teaches me for not looking.

"I panicked." He was already laughing, pulling me to his chest.

"My sweet, ridiculous girl." He kisses my head and ushers me to where my nightclothes were already unpacked. "I'm just going to have a shower, get ready for bed and I'll be out in a bit to sing you to sleep." This had become ritual to us because I couldn't fall asleep with the silence of night, it made me too on edge to sleep and Austin's voice was tranquillity in sound form.

"Okay." I smiled and snuggled under the covers of the bed, it was surprisingly comfy and I sighed, hoping that we would be able to stay here for a while longer this time. Not long after settling down I felt the bed shift around me and turned around into the arms of the only person I ever wanted to be near again. He hummed me to sleep and he methodically stroked my arms, making me feel warm and loved as I was engulfed by my perfect dream world.

* * *

My sweet dream state was disrupted in the early hours of the morning with the sudden movement of Austin sitting up in the bed next to me. I rubbed my eys and looked up at the tense shoulders and tightly clenched jaw of my beloved. "What's wrong?" I was shushed by his hand to my lips and I heard the sound of shuffling moving away from our door. I froze in my position and watched as Austin crept to the door to have a look through the peep hole. I presumed he couldn't see anything because he unlocked and opened to door.

As soon as he did I smelt it, the stench of death and blood. There on the welcome mat to our room was a dead raccoon. I gasped and hid my head under the covers, wanting to unsee the sight that had just presented itself to me. Austin slammed the door closed and switched on the light, getting into his jeans and throwing my clothes at me.

"Where are we going?" I whimpered.

"Away, she knows where we are so we need to keep moving." He muttered matter- of-factly and tied the laces of his converse.

"But I like it here." I sighed.

"I know baby but it's not safe here. We need to leave now." He got up and started packing the one bag we brought in with us.

I glanced at the clock, "but it's four in the morning, we can't start driving now." I pleaded with him.

"We have to Ally, we'll find somewhere in the next state to settle down, somewhere more secluded." He came over and kissed my head, "now get dressed." He grabbed the keys to our car and grabbed the bag. I sighed and got dressed, leaving the room as if we had never entered it.

In the car Austin had turned on the radio and was humming along to the song that was playing. Suddenly the melody was interrupted by the presenters voice.

"We have just had confirmation that Austin Moon and Ally Dawson did not reach Rio as they were meant to on the BH31 flight this morning, our prayers are with the couple and we hope you make it home safe. We will continue our search for musical sensations after this break." Austin sighs and mutters something like 'me too buddy' under his breath. As I say goodbye to yet another temporary home.


	6. The good in the bad

** Chapter 6 -The good in the bad**

Things had been looking up recently. It had been at least three weeks since any signs of contact from Molly and slowly we were becoming comfortable in our new home. Monterey had lots of small motels and hostels dotted around and we found one that was discrete enough to let us feel safe for a while. That hadn't stopped Austin from acting jittery and checking the door every chance he got. He was even more wound up recently since the couple next door had left and the room next to us was vacant. This meant that we had no one near us if anything went wrong, no one to hear us if we screamed. I was a little more optimistic, comforting Austin and reminding him that she was not one for discrete, we'd know she was there.

"Lets go out for the day," I muttered into Austin's shoulder, as he stared at the door.

"I don't know Ally," he turned to me so I gave him a soft kiss before climbing onto his lap.

"Please Austin, I can't sit in this room any longer, I am loosing my mind and I am so bored. Plus we need clothes, we are running low with quick packing and all the running. Can't we just go out for one day…" I begged him and all of a sudden his eyes lit up like it was the best plan in the world.

"Yes, let's go out. I will get the car ready." He jumped from the bed and left me wondering how the enigma that is my boyfriend had a mood swing so violent it would give someone whiplash.

He honked the car as he pulled up and I rushed from the room, breathing in the first fresh air I had really taken in a week. Austin smiled as he saw me walking to the car and I beamed back at him, freedom felt amazing.

* * *

Soon I had a bundle of brightly coloured dresses and flowery tops that suited my old style a lot more than this bland new Ally look that had happened. I wanted to get back to what we used to be, even if we were still on the run. The store clerk was enthusiastic to help and even set up a dressing room for me with a clothing rack and two large mirrors whilst I looked around for shoes and accessories to go with my many outfits. For the first time in months I was happy. Trying the outfits was even more fun, the clerk gave me her opinion on all of them but they were always positive and always enthusiastic. I ended up still buying all of the clothes anyway.

Austin's POV

I made up some excuse about finding clothes in the male section and headed towards the jewellers I knew was in this part of town. There was one thing I had on my mind to try and find today and I knew that it was important to get the right thing otherwise nothing would go right. Noticing just the store I wanted I checked behind me and then I ducked into the door way.

Inside, the store was beautiful, all shimmering silver and glittering gold. The shelves of necklaces and earrings were demanding attention but the one thing I came here for stood out like a diamond in the rough. This would be perfect.

Asking the shopkeeper to get it out for me, and feeling anticipation settle in my stomach the moment the cold metal hit my hand I smiled and told her I would have it. This was the beginning of the rest of my life.

Ally's POV

After an hour I was finished with my shopping and decided to text Austin to see if he was ready to get food and chill back at the motel. We didn't like to push the public appearances too much. He answered on the second ring and told me he was waiting in the café across the street with food and hot chocolate. I smiled and giggled to myself, he really was the perfect guy.

I headed over to the café with my bags and caught sight of him through the window. He was so handsome, even when he hadn't been sleeping well or hitting the gym three times a week his build was impeccable and his smile was charming. I walked over to the table and set my bags down beside me, telling Austin of the helpfulness of the clerk and the wonderful new things I had bought but he didn't seem to be listening.

He was just playing around with something in his pocket and his eyes looked shifty, as if he was keeping a secret: it scared me. "Austin, are you okay?" I asked him.

Austin's POV

I had never been so nervous to give Ally a piece of jewellery before, usually I would just put it around her neck and smile at her as her face lit up. But this piece of jewellery had a completely different meaning and damn was I nervous to give it to her. She looked at me with bright eyes and I honestly tried to listen to her shopping stories but my mind was abuzz with different worries. I looked at her hand holding her hot chocolate like it was precious and smiled at the fond thought that popped into my head. _A ring would look great on that finger._

It was now or never.

"Ally… baby, I have something I need to ask you." I got up form my seat and walked over to my girlfriend, falling easily to one knee.

Ally's POV

Oh my god what was he doing. Why here? This was a very bad idea? So why was I so happy?

"Allison Marie Dawson, I promise to treasure and respect you for the rest of time, I promise to keep you safe no matter what. I promise to run the country over a million times to make you happy and I promise to love you every day of forever. Will you do me the honour of marrying me?" his eyes shone with love and sincerity and I couldn't help the tears that spilled over.

"Yes, a million times yes." I cried and he picked me up, swinging me around like in the movies and kissing me softly. The whole room was buzzing as people caught sight of what was happening and before long we had attracted quite the crowd. It was time to make our escape.

Austin paid the bill quickly and grabbed my bags in one hand, clasping mine in the other and making a run for the exit before we drew anymore more unwelcome attention to ourselves.


	7. I do

**Hello, hello, hello!**

 **Who is this strange person and what are they doing?**

 **That's right, I;m back after being a ghost for so long. Did you miss me?**

 **What can I say about my radio silence? I am just shit at this stuff okay... I promise to get better and keep this story updated a lot more.**

 **Just stay with me okay?**

 **Love and kisses**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxox**

* * *

 **Chapter 7- Our haven**

"Honestly, do I look like a fucking clown to him?" Austin muttered as he pulled me out of yet another chapel. Las Vegas was streaming with people, a lot of which turned and stared at Austin and me as we wondered the streets. "I mean really, do I look drunk enough to think that getting married by a fucking Elvis Presley impersonator old enough to be the real fucking Elvis Presley is just damn right rude. This is the most important day of my life and I am not going to be married by my fucking Uncle John." He raged as he dragged me the three blocks to the next chapel on the Google list. I sighed and said nothing, just trying to take in the gorgeous scenery in the minimal time I was given. Vegas was beautiful at night, the lights vibrant and the people animated. The whole city had a buzz of money and luck and everyone just seemed to be on cloud nine. It was honestly one of the most electric places I had ever been too.

"Why don't we try the next state?" I asked quietly.

"Because the next three states don't have any walk in chapels and I don't have six months to organise." He muttered, pulling me down a side road and onto another brightly lit street.

"Well why don't we just wait then? We don't have to get married now…" I try to calm him down, noticing the people stop and stare and he pulls me past them at an alarming rate.

He stopped midway down the street, pulling me to a hault as well and looked at me with a look of shock, "Ally, you know we can't hold off on this…"He muttered, looking guilty.

I sighed and nodded, remembering our conversation from a week ago.

…

 _"I think we should get married in Las Vegas." He muttered to me all of a sudden, not looking up from his map._

 _"Vegas? But that's were we'll be in two days." I looked confused._

 _"Yes . I think it would be a good place to marry and why wait? We don't even know how much longer we will be here for." He shrugged and made another pen mark on his map._

 _"Austin! Don't you dare say that! I don't want to get married just because you think we are going to die soon…" I raised my voice and slammed my hand on the dashboard, making him look up at me finally._

 _"I know Ally, and don't want to think like that but can you blame me? What more can we think? We are on the run, we don't even have an address anymore. Heck we don't even have a toothbrush anymore. How can we go from being international celebrities to nothing in a few months because of some crazy chick with a knife." His voice rose with every word and by the last word it dropped to an menacing whisper. "I just want to make you mine Ally… before it's too late." He grabbed my hand from the gear stick and smiled a loving smile at me._

 _I smiled back as best I could, "Fine. Vegas then. Look up chapels." I turned my head back to the road as Austin started tapping on his phone._

…

"Yeah, I know." I sighed and looked down at the street below me, it was stained with drunk nights past and gum clung to its rocks. I imagined what it would be like to learn these streets the way I did in New York, or LA. To know the potholes to avoid in my heels, to know where the pavement is slightly uneven, I craved to be somewhere familiar again.

Austin kissed my head but said nothing, he knew anything he said would no longer brighten my mood, I was a lost cause. How sad is it that on my wedding day, the happiest day of my life, I am wanting nothing more than to just curl up in a ball and die rather than to put a ring on my finger and drink to loud music. "Ally I promise you, when we shake this bitch, when we get home I will give you a re-do. I will pay for the best hotel in LA, I will get the fucking pope to marry us if we have to but I cannot, will not, let us not get married because of this bitch." He kissed me softly and I can't help but smile. He again began to lead me to the next chapel, this time with a new resolve to try and make the most of this awful situation.

Finally we found a respected chapel that was beautiful and the woman at the desk was extremely helpful. She handed us a form to fill out each and then explained how the service would go and what we would need to do to make it official. Thankfully we could be married legally all in the same place and the ceremony would be a quick and simple one, just to keep it quick for us to escape at the earliest time possible. As busy and as big as Las Vegas was, we knew that she would be hot on our case right now.

Half an hour after filling into numerous bits of paper, getting photos of our faces for the records and purchasing $400 wedding rings from the attached jewellers I was staring right into the eyes of my best friend, as he recited the words the officiant spoke. I smiled and cried a little at the thought that the man I was looking at was going to be mine forever in just a few minutes. The man stood in front of me with the bleach blonde hair and the beautiful brown eyes, the man with the most wonderful smile and with talent beyond belief was mine and only mine.

"Ally, you came in to my life with the suddenness of a car crash, and the damage you did to it was just the same. You came and you conquered my whole entire kingdom with one smile, one laugh and I was a prisoner. I got Stockholm syndrome for you Ally and I never want to be away from you. You hold my heart captive and yet I couldn't be more happy, more in love than I am right now. You showed me that you don't have to step on other people to get somewhere in life, you showed me that no matter what good people get good things happen to them. You've taught me that even when you're dancing with the devil you can still always lead. Although the dance hasn't ended yet, I've got my best dancing shoes on thanks to you." He smiles at the little secret only we share about our situation and I tear up a little at the emotion in his speech. The woman looks at me and I know its my turn to speak.

"Austin, I came to LA with one goal in mind, not getting lost in the world of the rich and famous. I was a girl from the big apple who just wanted to get along so I could go back home. But you got me so damn lost that I ended up finding a new home right in the same town I wanted to leave. I never wanted to fall in love, I thought I had already found it, but meeting you proved to me I had no idea what love was into I looked into your eyes. Love isn't about getting everything you want for yourself, love is about getting everything the other person wants from you. Love is selfless, and you taught me that so many times over. When you left it felt like my whole world was gone, it felt like someone had picked me up and shook all the life from me. But then you came back and the world exploded into colour. You're my life Austin Moon." My voice broke at the last sentence and tears rolled freely down my face, as freely as the love spilled out of my heart. Austin's eyes pierced through my soul and I knew that he could see my core, right now I was vulnerable to him because all the love I had was on display.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." A voice boomed through the silence and Austin brought me back to life with a kiss. The world was dazzling colours and my body buzzed with excitement. I looked up into the eyes of my newly wed husband and one thought popped into my mind; _this man is mine forever._


	8. Our Haven

**Hello my little sunshine pies!**

 **Yes I am back and with TWO chapters already written and ready for you, and more in the works as we type!**

 **Lucky things, lets get into it shall we?**

 **Love**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxoxo**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Our haven**

The sun was beautiful over the mountains of Aspen and the man next to me wasn't too bad either. It was early, early enough that I could watch the sun waving it's first hello to the world. Austin was still sound asleep beside me, dreaming of beautiful things I hoped. He was gorgeous was my husband, _husband_ , it still felt so strange to say that and know it was real. Austin was truly mine forever.

My fingers traced the ring that had already left an indent in my hand absently as I watched the morning sky slowly wake up the world around me. Soon the ski slopes would be open and the air would be full of sounds of cheer and care free personality. I sighed, wondering if I would ever truly feel that myself again, I pondered what it would feel like the feel completely relaxed. It was odd really to look out at the mountains, where I should feel completely free and yet feel just like a trapped bird.

"mmm, Ally what's wrong?" The beautiful blond beside me looked up from his place on the plush pillow and his arm snaked around me, trying to coax me into the comfort of the bed again.

"Nothing." I smiled and snuggle against him for a moment before getting up, "you hungry?" I got up before I could see his pout and made my way to the vast kitchen. The cabin was lovely, it was real wood, looking out to the mountains so widely loved by many. The cabin was bigger than I had expected and the vast rooms felt luxurious even though the same walls were my prison. We weren't allowed to ski or go out and explore in the fear of her seeing us. Everything we needed was bought to us and we had no reason to go outside other than to keep our sanity. I often opened the windows and let the birds sing to me so I could feel like I was outside even though I was stuck inside this expensive prison.

I got to work creating a breakfast that wpuld keep me busy, whilst listening to the local news on the wide screen tv that overlooked the room. The reporter was muttering something about no snow fall and how global warming was the reason and I soon blanked out, concentration only on the eggs I was preparing. "In other news, a trail of animals have been found killed on a route up to the mountains this morning and locals are fearing the worst." This bought me back to the present and I stared intently at the screen. "Holiday makers have reported the unusual trail of animal remains leading up to the isolated cabins up near the summit of the mountains, the animals were said to have been all but decapitated or sliced open and the blood drained from each. No bigger animals have been harmed and it is believed to be a mountain lion that has caused this alarm, locals are being warned to keep an eye out when hiking through the surrounding forests…" My face felt 100 degrees colder as I looked at the photos flashing across my screen.

 _It's happening again,_ my mind screamed and I rushed over the basket that had held all of our necessities, scanning through for the letters that we had received. The usual stuff about welcoming us to Aspen and if we wanted to visit any local attractions were spattered along letters of welcome from fans who somehow got the address of where we were staying. One letter stood from the rest and the cursive writing was one that I knew all to well. My hands were shaking too much to even attempt opening the envelope and I just stared at the thing as if it was a poisonous snake ready to strike.

"Ally are you okay? What are you looking at?" Austin had wandered from the bedroom and wrapped his arms around me from behind, peering over my shoulder. "Is that…" He reached over me to grab the envelope and I found myself shying away from it as if it would burn. He moved to sit down on the sofa near the TV and peered up at the same news story that had scared me early, a troubled frown gracing his perfect lips. Slowly, as if to torture me further, he opened the devil letter and I all at once wanted to read it and run away from it. The look on his face was thunderous and yet terrified and I had only seen this reaction from him whenever she was concerned. I reached out my hand for the letter and Austin looked at me as if he didn't want me to see what it contained, as if he thought I was too fragile to handle what was held inside. I grabbed it from his reluctant grasp and frantically turned the paper towards me, instantly wishing I hadn't.

The letter had blood spatter across the page and the ink has run into it but that wasn't what bothered me, no, what bothered me was what it said;

 _You can't hide from me my love,_

 _I can feel your heartbeat._

 _M x_

I turned and walked slowly to the box that had seemingly been attached to the letter and numbly lifted the lid. What hit me first was the smell of death and decay that suffocated me as I looked inside the box. What was inside made me retch and I had to work hard to not scream and alarm the neighbours, inside was one thing…

An animal heart.

Austin tore the offending letter from my hand, took one look inside the box and grabbed that too. I watched as he stormed to the fire and threw them both in, watching as her latest threat went up in flames. And then as if someone had wound him up with a key he moved around the cabin, gathering our things and grabbing food for the road. I knew that our time in Aspen was over and yet all I felt was numbness set in, we were never going to escape her.


	9. Hide little mouse

**Enjoy**

 **Disclaimers apply as usual**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: hide little mouse**

Weeks pass before I started to feel less shaken, and relaxed enough to enjoy our new temporary home. Washington DC is full of interesting people living lives that I would never even of dreamt of. Already we have met two people that work in white house and a man that were formally part of the president's personal guard. There was a little bar by our hotel that was great for food and had a little corner that was easy to watch as people entered, but could not be seen from the street. This had become our new favourite spot when we felt brave enough to venture into the world. It was from this spot that I noticed the calendar on the wall near the counter and felt my heart drop a little. A week until the anniversary of my mothers death and I wanted nothing more than to see her one more time, to ask her for advice.

"I want to go to New York." I look at Austin, who was chatting to one of the locals about the fishing that could be done in the lakes near the outskirts of the city. He looked back at me and frowned.

"Do you think that's a good idea? She'll guess that we would be going there." He looked at me with begging eyes but I already knew that I had won the fight.

"It's close to the anniversary, I want to see her, and Elliot." I look down, the remains of my brother had been buried right next to my mother and it felt right to be able to say goodbye to both at once, there death anniversary was only a month apart after all. I could see the fight in his eyes and I knew he was having an internal argument with himself as to whether my safety or my happiness was more important to him.

"Well okay… if you think it's a good idea." He got up and took my hand in his, leading me out of the diner I had gotten used to and to the hotel that we called home. He left me in the car whilst he packed up the few belongings we had and then peeled out of our temporary home like we had done a thousand times before. His hand found mine in the dark of the night and I smiled up at him before looking out of the window into the side mirror. Saying my goodbyes to another part of my life, and another home I never got to have.


	10. Long goodbyes and wrong goodbyes

**Hello again peeps!**

 **So i was going to wait until tomorrow to post this but it's just too juicy to keep from you all.**

 **WARNING: Drama is about to kick off in this story so if you don't like overly active books then I would stop reading now.**

 **Enjoy love doves.**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxox**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Long goodbyes and wrong goodbyes**

New York looks just the same as I remember leaving it, the sky the same beautiful blue, the skyscrapers kissing it good morning. The buildings hugging each other and the people below them going about their important lives in the most important city to me. I can't help but smile as I remember times that have happened in this town. I see the street corner that Dallas first kiss me on and I blush a deep red, the place at which my dad taught me to ride my bike and I ended up grazing my knee on the concrete. The bench where my mother sat me down, ice cream in hand, to tell me she had incurable cancer, the place at which I first saw my brother get into a fight. The last place I said goodbye to my friends from school. This city sure held a lot of emotions in its walls.

Austin squeezed my hand as we pulled alongside the hotel we would be staying at, I knew this one and had recommended it for its guarded doors. No one got into that place without a reservation and it was seen as the safest hotel in all of New York. We told the bouncer our name and he let us past quickly, not wasting anytime in showing us where to check and wishing us a happy stay. I smiled, this was the New York I never got to experience, the side of New York that no one that lived here really got to ever experience.

The room was nice and from the window I could see the old building that used to be sonic boom, it was now just an abandoned space with no meaning and that made me more upset than I could have ever imagined, if it wasn't sonic boom I wanted for it be at least occupied. Instead it stood desolate and alone in the city of lights and people. Tomorrow was the day of my mother's death and I can still picture finding out the news.

 _"_ _Ally, I can't get this freaking guitar on the wall!" shouted an exasperated Dallas as he stretched over a stand of tambourines to put the Yamaha back up in it's place. Laughing I moved the instruments and looked smugly over at him as he could now put the guitar in its place without any inconvenience. "Alright hotshot." He sulked and I couldn't help the blistering laugh that escaped my lips._

 _The door opened and all at once my laughter was cut short and the room was left with a thick silence hung over it. In the door was my father, his eyes red rimmed with shed tears and a look of sullen defeat upon his face. "Dad? What's wrong?" I had asked but instead of answering he just shook his head and I just knew, right then I knew she hadn't made it out._

 _"_ _No…" I begged anyone that could hear me; anyone that would listen and my legs gave way, as did my heart. I fell, only held up by Dallas' arms around me and wailed to the heavens the unfairness of the situation. I cried out my sorrow and I didn't care who knew it. Let them know that my whole life was upside down, let them know my heart had been torn from me with one simple shake of my father's head._

A kiss to my shoulder brought me out of my daydream and I was all of sudden back in the room, across the street from that place and on looking as a young girl's life was shredded into a million little pieces. Austin's arms around me were an anchor to the world around me and I was all at once aware of the tears travelling down my cheeks, gravity pulling them to the streets below. "You'll be okay Ally." He whispered in my ear and I knew he believed that but all at once I realised something, I had not been okay since that day, since that one simple shake of my father's head had shattered the world around me.

Sleep did not come easy that night, I kept dreaming of that day in the abandoned place across the street and I could not relax knowing those memories were mere seconds away. I could not bring myself to face them again by looking at the place but I could not peel myself away from them either. I felt like a lost child searching for their mother in the supermarket, getting more and more panicked as time went on and they still could not see her. I was lost.

When morning finally did come the skyscrapers did not kiss the sun hello, nor did the streets sing with the hum of another new day. Instead there was a silence amongst the world, the buildings loomed as if mourners peering over a coffin, the sky a bleak grey, the same as my emotion. New York was not alive as it usually was, it was dead as I was on this day. I wished nothing more than to stay in the comforting warmth of the bed around me, the sound of the sleeping Austin peacefully sighing by my side but I knew that would be wrong. I was in the very city that took her from me and I had to pay her enough respect to say hello.

I got up and showered, dressing quickly and feeling anxious for the day ahead, what would it be like, to see the grave as it was ten years early when I huddled into Dallas' side and my father cried and told us stories of my mother's craziness. As my brother held my hand and wept as our mother was lowered into the ground, the feeling of the shovel cold and heavy as I flung dirt on her grave, burying her a little more. Would I relive the events or would I just feel…empty.

Austin wore a dark suit, his hair slicked back and I looked at him with awe. Even though today was about me saying goodbye I wish my mother could see the man I had married, to appreciate how good his heart was. He told me he dressed this way because in a way he was saying goodbye to his family too, mourning his own mother's death. All at once I realised how entwined my life had become with the man in front of me.

…

As Austin pulled up to the cemetery I mentally prepared myself for what I was going to say. How I would tell my mother I was the luckiest woman in the world to have the beautiful man beside me in my life, to tell her the funny stories of how I overcome my stage fright and how it felt to be in front a crowd of one million people. How it felt to hear my songs on the radio and to be able to accredit it all to myself, and the man beside me. To say thank you for raising me to believe that I could be anything I wanted to be and for never letting me forget it. I was preparing this speech when we walked towards my mother's grave. That was why at first I didn't notice the dark figure standing between my mother's and brother's graves.

I was instantly on edge, how did she find us here? But then I looked closer and realised the figure was distinctively male. Austin froze up beside me and I could see the protective stance he suddenly took but this was my family, mine to protect. I stormed across the lot, determined to find out who threatened my personal time with my family.

"HEY! YOU! Who are you? What do you want? Get away from my family." The figure froze in the crouch they held, their hand shaking as it grazed my brother's name. Then, all at once the figure rose and turned very slowly towards us, a look of pure shock on their face.

Recognition finally set in and I am sure my face mirrored the expression this stranger held, as this was no stranger at all, in fact it was…

"Elliot?"


	11. The Cat

**Hello love doves!**

 **Enjoy this new chapter.**

 **Disclaimers apply.**

 **R &R sweet cheeks it lets me feel the love**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxo**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: The Cat**

Recognition finally set in and I am sure my face mirrored the expression this stranger held, as this was no stranger at all, in fact it was…

"Elliot?"

Time froze and as I reached for my brother he belted it in the opposite direction, putting his track days to use and hurdling the gravestones that stood in his way. I stopped in my tracks, helplessly watching as my dead brother ran into the wood surrounding the graveyard.

I looked at Austin, as if to confirm what I had just saw was not a dream and he looked just as mystified as I was probably looking right now. His eyes were glazed over and frozen to the spot my brother, my dead brother, had just disappeared in to.

"I-I," I started but words did not come to me and all at once the world came crashing down on me again, my brother, the boy that I had trusted with my life, the one that a police officer had told me was _dead_ , had just ran away from me at the site of our mother's grave: of _his_ grave.

I was in such shock that I completely forgot my mission of being here and just turned around, numbly walking back towards our car and thinking about what I had just seen. Was it a dream? Or perhaps somebody is playing an evil practical joke? Was my imagination wishing something that was not possible? Or was my brother really not dead? I felt tears slip from my eyes and Austin said nothing as he drove us back to our hotel, the bleak sky giving no answers to my many questions.

My head was pounding my the time we got back to the hotel and all I wanted to do was close my eyes and not think for a while. As soon as we got to our room I climbed into bed, pulled the covers above my face and closed my eyes. Giving up on the day already. Austin let me lay there and soon I found myself falling into an exhausted sleep.

…

I woke in a haze and overly hot, the events of the day still playing on my mind and the nightmare I had still clutching to me in consciousness. I could hear Austin's heated voice in the adjoining bathroom but I could only just make out the heated discussion going on behind the door.

"Well he is so clearly you were wrong! I don't know how but he is and I know because I saw him for myself." There was a pause, "what you think he had a twin that no one knew about? Get real! Elliot was alive, and fucking hopping over gravestones to get away from us! I want your records checked, any reason he could possibly have to fake his death found and I want it done within the next three days! I can't believe you all fucked up like this!" Austin bellowed and I cringed away from the noise, my head still pounding. He was clearly talking to the police department back in LA and by the sounds of it getting nowhere. Although his dominant tone would get anyone working faster to just keep him form shouting at them again, our record producer had heard that same tone many times before.

He exited the bathroom and almost ploughed me over; if it wasn't for his quick reflexes I would've been a mess on the floor. "Ally, you should be asleep baby." He kissed my head and instantly soothed the jackhammers inside of it. His cooling touch revitalising me.

"I'm hungry." I admitted, trying to keep him from insisting I go back to sleep. He gestured towards the room service cart at the door and I rushed over, lifting the lid to reveal cold pizza. I smiled and took a massive bite from a piece, smiling at the taste of. New York pizza was to die for. "I think we should try and find Elliot." I said around a mouth of pizza and Austin grimaces at the thought.

"Ally, I don't think he wants to be found." He muttered but I refused to take no for answer, insisting that he was just scared and he obviously needs me. In the end I got him to agree to help me and together we devised a plan to get my brother back.

…

"This wig is ridiculous Austin, he's going to know its me." I looked at myself in the mirror, the blond wig looked as if it had come right out of a movie and Austin's own black mullet wasn't much better.

"He won't if you ply the part right." He looked at me and readjusted to wig a little as I pulled down the insanely short dress for the eighth time.

"I am not seducing my brother into coming back to our hotel, plus how do we know he's even here." I look around the back alley to the pub we're near, making sure no one could see us.

"My sources said he would be. Just trust me Ally, you don't have to kiss him, just bat your doe eyes at him and he'll be a goner. I'll be sat at the bar if anything goes wrong." He kissed my cheek and left me in the alley as he headed inside the pub. I sighed and adjusted my short dress one more time before taking a breath and entering the bar. The first thing to hit me was smoke and the smell of heavy cigars. I coughed the smoke form my lungs and then stood tall, trying to get into the role of confident hooker.

As if by magic I spotted my brother hunched over a pool table in the corner, two tattooed men flanking him as he took his shot. I felt scared for him but he just oozed confidence and grace, as if he belonged here. As I got closer I started to notice little things, like the scar above his lip that he never had before, or the way his muscles were larger than I remember. He looked rougher than the sweet older brother I remembered, the one who only got in fight to protect his little sister.

I sauntered over, putting all my effort into being the least bit sexy and gave him my best 'doe eyes'. "Hey sugar," I drawled, this was so wrong. "Wanna have some fun?" I winked and almost gagged.

"Well hello there darlin'," he sneered at me and I wanted to hit him in the head, yelling 'this isn't you lelliot!' instead I just smirked. "How much we talkin'?" he glanced at his 'friends' who all seemed to cheer him on.

"How about we discuss that back in my room? You game?" I was going to hurl.

"Sounds great, let me get my coat." He sauntered away, not before giving me a wink. _Don't throw up Ally, don't throw up._ I chanted as I headed for the door, making direct eye contact with Austin and the bar. He looked amazed and yet amused at the time, and a little bit proud. He would pay for that later.

We hopped into a cab and I told the driver the address, Elliot looked a little worried once he recognised where we were going and I knew he was hoping he could afford me. _Gag._

Once we got out of the cab I gave a sly look to see my car and the man I loved had just pulled up across the street and I realised that the plan had worked. We had successfully played the cat for once.

The elevator ride was awkward, Elliot kept touching me and I had to remind myself not to scold him, I was a hooker right now. As soon as we hit my room I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it.

"Oh, you do want privacy huh?" Elliot pressed me against the door and started kissing my neck.

"Ew! Elliot stop!" I squealed I jumped away, ripping the wig from my head.

"Ally?" his eyes were like saucers, "Ally what the hell? Do you know how dangerous this is? I need to go." He ripped open the door before I could stop him, only to be welcomed by the smiling face of my husband.

"Hey Elliot, nice to see you. Don't know if you know this, but you're dead." Austin pushed him back inside, he whirled around to me and then back to Austin.

"Who are you? Ally what the hell is going on?" Elliot looked angry but he had no right, he was the one that went ghost for five years.

"You tell me. You're the one who died." I screamed and my brother sighed.

"Okay I'll tell you the truth but… you aren't going to believe me." Elliot looked between Austin and I and I knew that this was going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride.


	12. Explanations

**Hello love doves, little bit of a short chapter and I'm sorry that I've been radio silent, been working on some pretty exciting projects and its been time consuming.**

 **Disclaimers apply.**

 **Nessa**

 **xoxo**

* * *

Chapter 12: explanations

"Okay so you know how we always just assumed that it was the cancer that killed mum and that we never asked dad how she died because, well it was obvious?" This was a weird to start the conversation but I nodded along anyway. "Well it wasn't. Mum didn't die through the cancer, mum was suffocated in her hotel room, by the time the nurses realised the person who did wasn't in the room and the window was left wide open, they must of escaped through it." He looked at me and the colour drained from my face, my mother was murdered in her hospital bed… that was a lot to take in.

"Hey Ally, don't space on me yet." Elliot clicked his fingers in front of my face and Austin squeezed my hand.

I shook my head, "I'm good, I'm here." I muttered.

"Okay good, so mum was murdered." I winced at that, "and the guy who murdered her is trying to pin it all on me." This completely stumped me, I had no words, I just sat silently trying to get over the fact that another human stole my mum from me.

"But how? There's no evidence…" Austin piped in, seeing that I was not okay.

"Well this guy is apparently really influential and he can make some, he's got some beef with me because I broke his daughters heart in high school so he's trying to get his own back by getting me put in prison." Elliot's voice shook.

"By killing your own mother? With what motive?" Austin's voice was steady, his solicitor voice.

"Money, isn't that always the motive? He's trying to spin it that I wanted my inheritance early and that her insurance money covered my drug addiction that I didn't have. He has 'witnesses' and everything. I had to fake my death so he would stop looking for me, so he would stop threatening me. He has track of you Ally, he's knows that I would try and warn you." He looks at me and I know in that moment this was all for me. He was worried that by incriminating him it would hurt me more than him being dead would.

"But what standing does he have in a court of law?" Austin, the level head, asked.

"Like I said, he had a massive influence, I am guessing he has friends in the courts, I wouldn't stand a chance and I have no money for a lawyer." Elliot muttered.

"Well we do. We'll get you the bets damn lawyer around!" I put my two piece in.

"That's sweet Ally-gator but it's not just that, he's threatening to hurt you, if I stand against him you could get killed."

"That's my choice, I am going to help you Elliot, no matter what." I looked at my brother, my determination sparkling in the reflection in his pupils.

"Well if you really mean that then I think I have a plan." Elliot looked between Austin and me. I looked at Austin and he nodded at me. In that moment I knew I would do anything to protect my brother.

"Let's hear it." I leaned over the table and listened to the plan Elliot played out in front of us.


	13. Undercover

**Well hello lovelies.**

 **I know, I come to you with tail between legs and an offering of the last chapters of this story already written.**

 **And to make up with my terrible time keeping and even worst posting i will upload them ALL tonight.**

 **I'm sorry and enjoy**

 **Nessa xoxo**

 **OH and R &R please and thank you. **

* * *

** Chapter 13: Undercover**

"Okay so how about I act as a hooker again and try and get him to come with me to a destination and then we attack him." I suggested, looking at the two most important men of my life, hunched over a coffee table, looking at a map of the city.

"And where do you suppose we find him?" Austin asked, looking unimpressed.

"Ally, no offense but you're not that good a hooker and he is only interested in the best. Besides I don't even know where he goes." Elliot cuts in, I glare at him.

"I am a damn good hooker and I don't hear you two throwing in any plans." I mutter.

"I could be bait." Elliot finally whispers.

"No way! Hell no Elliot! That's way too dangerous, are you mad?" I shout at him.

"Ally, it's me he wants, if I come out of hiding and he sees me then he will follow me anywhere, to hurt me." He looked at me and I saw the fire I used to see before all of his big games, he was ready to win.

"No way, besides how will he find you, you're dead remember?" Austin asked.

"But I'm not," I looked down at the map, "I could walk around with Elliot, they're tracking me and that means they'll see Elliot. His cover will be blown and we can lead them where we want them."

"No!" both of the men shouted at once and I looked between them, similar masks of anger and protectiveness looked back at me.

"I'm not a child, I can handle myself and it's the only way." I muttered.

"And where will we lead him, it's not like there's anything secluded in New York." Austin looked down at the map, just as the idea hit me.

"No but there is a sound proof store which I still happen to know the code to." I leant down, pointing to sonic boom on the map. "And it's abandoned." I looked up and Elliot was smiling, impressed. Austin looked worried.

"I don't know…" Austin looked between mine and Elliot's determined faces and I could see the moment he knew he was going to lose. "Fine, but the moment it gets heavy I am jumping in." He got up and grabbed a box from his suitcase. "You'll both need one of these, and this." He handed us a walkie talkie and a small hand gun and looked at us. My husband was such a badass.

"Sweet, let's do this." Elliot loaded and clicked the gun.

"Let's bring this fucker down." I tucked my gun into my waistband and looked at the map, right at the spot where sonic boom was. This was going to be one hell of a ride.


	14. Bait

**Chapter 14- Bait**

Preparation was underway for the biggest performance of my life and I was more nervous than I was for my first ever concert. This was a life or death situation and I was acting as bait. My brother held my hand as we walked around the town, trying to attract as much attention to ourselves as we could. Stopping and posing for pictures, trying on silly hats at stands on the street, anything to seem like we were carefree and having fun. All the while we were both on the lookout for anyone watching us too closely.

"So what's this guys name?" I asked quietly as we walked around Barney's.

"He goes by Cobra but his name is Harold. He's a total ass and he thinks he's some kind of James bond villain. He's really just an oversized librarian who wants to be part of the mafia." Elliot looked at the rack of jackets and the put the one he had in his hand back. "This is ridiculous, we have been walking around all day and there has been no sign of him. Maybe he isn't watching you anymore."

"He has to be, we just have to give it time, maybe we'll get some response tonight? We should head back to the hotel and report to Austin." I pressed my hand to the gun in my waistband. It felt cold and hard against my skin but the feeling was exhilarating, to carry around something that could end someone's life so easily and have no one know it was there. It was like being a real life spy.

Elliot drove us home and we told Austin all about our uneventful day, he agreed that they may be just waiting to play our game and we decided to all get some much deserved sleep. As I snuggled up against my loving husband and looked over at my brother sleeping soundly on the couch I couldn't help but feel safe. I was a girl who was so well protected.

…

I woke up early to the sound of feet shuffling away from our hotel door and shot up from the bed in a flash. I looked around the room but nothing was out of the ordinary, until I looked down and there it was. Pushed under the door was an enveloped addressed to myself. I tore open the envelope praying it wasn't my stalker, I really couldn't handle Molly as well right now.

The words scrawled across the paper were far worse than what I had imagined, far worse than anything Molly could have ever written;

 _Allison,_

 _So nice to see that you and Elliot have been reunited, it would be a shame if something were to happen to him. I want to meet you Ally, to explain what I want in return for your brother's life. Come to the Marchins warehouse downtown at noon or your brother will get his wish, his death wish that is._

 _-Cobra_

He wanted to meet me, he wanted to discuss my brother's life with him, I had to go or Elliot may end up dead. But was I ready to risk my life? Could I really sneak away from Austin without him knowing? He wouldn't let me get away with it would he? I sat up and thought about it until the morning light was shining through the cheap curtains of the hotel room and Austin stirred from his sleep, his arm in search of me. When he couldn't feel my body he shot up, looing around with worried eyes until he found me sat on the opposite side of the room, my back against the door and my knees pulled up to my chest, the note resting upon them.

"Ally? What's wrong baby?" He flipped the covers aside and rushed to my side, kneeling next to me. Without saying a word I passed him the note and watched as his face changed as he read it. "No Ally. It's too dangerous. We'll find another way." He looked at me and his face was a mask of resolve, he was not going to let me do this one on my own.

"I have to Austin, he'll harm Elliot if I don't, I can't say goodbye to him again." I looked at the sleeping form of my brother, his face innocent and young, peaceful. How could I let him be harmed because of something he did in high school, when he was just a stupid teenager.

"Ally… Fine but we need to plan it so that Elliot and I can be there, ready to strike when Cobra gets there. You can wear a tracker, and take the panic alarm that we installed to inform the driver of crazy fans. We can hook it up to my car so I'll know if you're in trouble. You take a cab. I'll follow behind in the car." He got up, walking over to his bag and pulling all of the equipment he would need to set up the safety precautions he wanted me to take. Elliot woke up a little later and Austin showed him the note, explaining the plan as I sat by the door, staring into space and contemplating whether this was a good idea.

…

At noon I started my journey to the warehouses, a tracker attached to my ankle and a panic button in my pocket, Austin and my brother in the car behind me. I still didn't feel safe, I felt like I was walking into a warzone with no protection. The gun I had was left in Austin's car; it was more likely that Cobra would expect me to be armed. I would gain his trust if I didn't have anything that could harm him. That didn't mean I liked it.

The warehouses looked even worse than I remembered them. The paint was chipped and the windows boarded, the car park was a full of rubbish and rats. This was no place for a business meeting, I stroked my side for my ghost gun, sighing when I realised I was on my own in this.

"Allison, so nice to see you." I heard from behind me and I whirled around to see the man that was haunting my thoughts. He was short and fat, his hair sparse on top and his beard overgrown. He looked more like an apple genius than a criminal. He was flanked by two very intimidating looking men that fit the role of mafia thug much better than Mr Cobra.

"Harold." I looked him up and down. Trying to ooze confidence instead of fear but my mind was screaming at me to run.

"Say hello to your husband as well, I know he must be listening to all of this." I froze. We were caught, he knew that I wasn't alone. Although Austin didn't actually have a microphone he was still in trouble. I knew that I was in danger, and that thought was confirmed when I saw the flash of sliver hit the sunlight as one of the thugs lifted a gun to the air.


	15. On the line

**Chapter 15: On the line**

The gun glittered in the sunlight and I reached into my pocket, the button weighing against my hand. I was about to press it when Harold raised his hand and pushed the gun back down to the thug's side. "Now, now, let's not all get too crazy, I didn't bring you hear to harm you Allison, I just want to talk. To explain my intentions, and the reason's for wanting your brother dead." He looks sternly at me.

"I already know, he hurt your daughter in high school and now you want revenge on him." I looked straight at him with confident eyes, even if my stomach was in knots.

His laugh vibrated off the building's walls and my look turned confused all at once.

"That's not the reason Allison, you're brother ruined my life dear. Your brother exposed my relationship with your mother to Lester and my ex wife. She kicked me out and your mother chose Lester over me. I had nothing and it was all Elliot's fault. If the little ass had just kept his mouth shut then I wouldn't have had to kill your mother and we would be happy right now." His voice slowly rose as he ranted and I gasped. I couldn't quite process what was going on right now. My mother was cheating on my father and this man just admitted to killing her in revenge. The shock of what I heard caused me to clench my hand and press the button that alerted Austin of my distress.

What happened next was a blur of movement; a car came swerving into the lot, Austin and Elliot racing from it. Strong arms wrapped themselves around me and the familiar scent of my husband surrounded me, the body of my brother blocked my vision and Harold's thugs raised their guns at us. The silence around us was heavy as a tense stare off began.

Suddenly the whole world goes into slow motion, everything around me a mass of hysteria. I loud bang bounces of the walls of the buildings and I see my brother fall to the ground in front of me. from the space that is cleared I see the gun of raised towards me and I knew that was next, I start preparing myself for the pain that was to come. I close my eyes and pray that it will be a fast death, I pray that Austin will get away and get help, maybe he could save my brother if they got help quickly.

A scream falls from my lips and I feel a push from Austin as he forces me to dodge a bullet. I whip my head around to see the love of my wince in pain and as he falls to his knees. He raises his gun and I watch as he pulls the trigger, a look of pure hatred gracing his beautiful face and I hear the sound of another shot going off. From the other side of the lot the man that caused all the destruction of my life falls to the ground, unmoving. His thugs take one look at me and then run in the opposite direction, disappearing.

I stand there for a moment taking in what just happened, looking at the destruction around me and then I fall to my knees by the body of my husband. and clutch his head to my lap, grabbing the phone from his jeans pocket.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator's voice came over the phone.

"I need an ambulance, my husband and brother have been shot, I'm at Marchin's warehouses 51st Avenue. Please get here soon." I begged down the phone and held the hands of my brother in mine, and a tear slid onto the head of my husband in my lap.


	16. Blur

**Chapter 16: Blur**

"So this man killed your mother because she chose your dad instead of him?" The officer was scribbling on his pad as my shaking hands clutched the hot cup tightly. I nodded and looked around at the room, I was safe and alive.

"And he wanted to blame your brother because then he could get off the hook and your brother would pay for braking his daughter's heart in high school? He sounds like one messed up individual. I don't think we'll be pressing charges on your boyfriend for killing this guy. I think the world is a better place without him. The officer touched my shoulder in comfort as he got up and then left the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

Harold was no longer going to bother us, he was gone, and we were safe from him. Although that didn't solve the Molly situation. We're lucky she didn't find us whilst all the drama was going on or she would have only added stress to a very difficult situation. I sighed with the knowledge that my life was just never going to be the same; I was in a constant danger all because I fell in love with Austin. That didn't make me regret my decision to stay with him though, he was the bets thing to ever happen to me. I looked down at my ring, stroking the diamonds and smiling, knowing there was always going to be those memories to fall back on in hard times.

Looking back on the last two days was exhausting, I found my brother by deception, I deceived with my brother, and I almost died with him too. This was an emotional rollercoaster of a week and I wasn't quite sure I was handling it well, I just felt numb. How was I to deal with the knowledge that I could lose him, or Austin. Neither of them had woken up yet and it had been three days, three days of thinking that I could have to say goodbye to the people I loved most. Its so unfair that the world gave me back the brother I thought I had lost, gave me a love I never knew existed and then threatened to rip it away from me just like that. I just wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.

I soon decided I should probably get back to the hospital and sighed as I got up, I really hoped that the boys were awake. That Austin would pull through his eternal bleeding and my brother would wake up from his three-day nightmare. I couldn't say goodbye just yet.


	17. Too soon

**Chapter 17: Too soon**

Every time I walked through the gates of the high security hospital that the police insisted the boys be admitted to I feel a sense of strange comfort, the arm guards and security codes meaning no one could touch me unless allowed. I walked up to the glossy white counter and looked at the receptionist. "Hey Lottie, is there any news?" The pretty red haired women gave me a look of sympathy and then sighed, gesturing to the nurse at her side, clipboard in hand.

"Allison, I have some very good news about patient 376. He's awoke and is well, the damages seem to be repairing themselves and we think within a couple of weeks he will be able to go home. He really had pulled through rather well and has been asking to see you a lot." She gave me a sheepish smile and I knew there was more, I knew there was some bad news to go with the good.

"And patient 375?" I asked.

Her face fell almost instantly and she led me to the chairs in the waiting room, insisting I sit. She sat next to me and put her hand on my knee, an act of giving strength. "I'm sorry Miss Dawson, I truly am, but the eternal damage was to immense we just couldn't save him. He's gone. We left… the body for a little while so you can say goodbye but you only have an hour until…" her voice drifted off. I felt it then, the numbness flowing into my blood like ice, the cold knowledge that I would have to say goodbye. I couldn't look at her; I couldn't see her sympathy knowing she couldn't save him. I stared at the wall in an emotionless daze, unable to utter any words. She soon got up and squeezed my shoulder, leaving me alone much like the police officer had only an hour earlier. Was it only an hour ago I was optimistic that I would never have to say goodbye again?

Soon I decided that there was no point looking back, I had to say goodbye before he didn't look like himself anymore. When he looked cold and grey in a coffin and I couldn't hold his hand and beg him to come back to me.

I walked through the halls, an emotionless ghost to those around me, families sat with relatives in their rooms, children laughed as their parents bought them balloons and teddy's. How could they all be so normal while my world was falling down all around me? I walked until I saw the sign for rooms 370-380 and then headed down the corridor, feeling the colour drain from my face the closer I got to the door. **Austin Moon,** was scribbled on the door in chalk, the door slightly ajar. I took one last deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come, and then pushed the door ever so slightly open.

There he was, his blond hair looking darker and dark circles under his eyes, the bruise on his cheek and the gauze wrapped around his stomach the constant reminder of what had happened. I looked at him, at my beautiful husband and held back the tears that were threatening to burst from my eyes.

I sat at his bedside, my hand stroking his whilst I listened to the sounds of the room around me and then the first sign happened. His hand twitched in mine, his eyes flickered and then I was confronted with the perfect shade of brown. Love and feeling flooded through my being, my body warmed and his smile broke through his face. "I bet I look pretty bad right now, huh?" He beamed, forever the happy spirit.

"No, you look perfect Austin, you always do." My voice was strained, trying to be happy when I wasn't. He frowned and looked at me, probably seeing the tired eyes and the tight lipped the smile I was giving him. I know I looked like I hadn't slept in days, or ate or drank in days but my body wasn't my main priority.

"Is there… any news?" He asked, his face trying to read my own and the damns broke. I shook my head sharply. A wail fell from my lips and I collapsed onto the chest of the man I loved, thankful he was alive and hurting that my brother wasn't.

He stroked my hair and whispered soothing words into the air around us, holding my tightly. I knew that I was strong and that I could handle this because I had managed before, I had done this before.

But I just didn't know if I was strong enough to say goodbye again.


	18. Long Goodbyes and Second Goodbyes

**Chapter 18: Long goodbyes and second goodbyes.**

The ground was fresh around the area of the grave, the recently dug up soil was soft and wet to the touch. The gravestone was simple and elegant, the words cursive:

 _Elliot Dawson_

 _Loving brother and son_

 _1988-2016_

 _Buried amongst the sleeping, living amongst the stars._

I touched the cold marble of the stone one last time and a tear slipped onto the grey. I felt a hand wrap around my waist and I looked up to Austin's face looking down into mine. The bruises were gone and the wound was healing. He was on the mend and so was my broken heart. It was hard to give up someone I loved so much but I knew that he was happy and safe now and nothing could touch him anymore.

"Ally we should go… the road is getting slick and we need to make it out of here before you know who turns up." His look was apologetic but I knew he was right, we had overstayed our safe welcome here and she was bound to know we were here by now.

I touched the headstone next to Elliot's, the rough stone cold beneath my fingertips. "I love you mom. Keep him safe up there." I let the last tear fall from my eye and the turned around, into the arms of the man I loved and walked slowly away from my sleeping family.

Goodbyes were hard, but second goodbyes… they were harder.


	19. Thank you

p style="text-align: center;"strongThanks to everyone that has stuck around to read this story and left me some lovely responses. i just wanted to tell you all that the next story is up and the first chapter published. It's called 'Superhero'. /strong/p  
p style="text-align: center;" /p  
p style="text-align: center;"strongEnjoy and thank you so much for staying with me. /strong/p 


End file.
